So, I have finally built my shack

I was sick of doing all my radio stuff on a fold-out table in the bedroom so… I took a look around the place to see what else I could do. At first I thought about putting up a shed, but the only place I could put one was too far from the house so I wouldn’t hear if anyone broke in. Then I looked under the house, measured the space at 4.2m x 2.2m and thought “I might be able to do something with this”

So I got to work cleaning everything out and putting a frame together.

Because of the ground under there I decided to build an old bookshelf into the wall rather than dig out the ground next to the stumps.

I packed out the back wall a bit around the water pipes and built a frame to join it to the bookshelf, insulated and clad with leftover yellowtongue flooring.

Then i started on the front wall. Due to the height of this room I had to cut down a door frame and door to suit.

Then I went back inside.

I installed a light and a door, then started painting.

I then started on the benches. I wanted a lower bench for operating radios and the computer, and a higher bench comfortable for soldering and building little things on while either standing or sitting. The second bench also had to be high enough to fit a bar fridge under.

Then I stained and varnished them. I probably should have done it before install but hey, there were a LOT of things I could have done better on this job but you learn by doing.

Then more outlets and a TV and I was ready to set up for radio stuff.

This is where the shack is at now. It took a several weekends to build and I have been using it for almost a month now. I still have more to do to it like skirting boards and mounting a connection panel on the wall, painting the door etc. But it’s usable as is and I’m pretty happy with how it all went.
73s, Daniel